The present invention relates to a mold valve for a molding system and, more particularly, to a piston arrangement which minimizes the requirement of flushing.
A typical molding system provides for the mixing of at least two materials to form a mixture that is discharged into a mold cavity to form a finished article. The materials are typically fed from a supply by a delivery or feed assembly which communicates with a mixing head. The materials are mixed by the mixing head and discharged into the mold cavity through a mold valve. The mold assembly and attached mold valve are heated to cure the molded article.
It is therefore essential to cleanse the mold valve of any residual material to prevent the remnants from curing within. Typically, the mold valve is flushed after each cycle prior to curing to remove the potential for remnants curing within and locking the mold valve assembly. This is time consuming and expensive as the flushing fluid must be safely disposed of after usage.
Accordingly, it is desirable to provide a mold valve that minimizes the necessity of flushing between injection cycles to decrease the cycle time for production and expense of each finished article.